


Black Swan

by Chibi__Troll



Series: Ice Swan [1]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: My First Fanfic, Original Character(s), Originally Posted Elsewhere, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 10,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24421531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibi__Troll/pseuds/Chibi__Troll
Summary: black swan/ˌblak ˈswän/nounan unpredictable or unforeseen event, typically one with extreme consequences.A black swan has always been used to describe an impossible event in the past yet it was discovered that black swan do exist. In the figure skating world, the term 'Shio' is used as a replacement, commonly used to describe an unpredictable event.The word 'Shio' derived from the surname of two figure skating siblings- Mikaela and Juno Shio.________________________________________"I'll do it, over and over again. Even if it breaks me. For her I will."
Series: Ice Swan [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1763818
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> If there are any spelling mistakes or punctuation mistake, kindly point them out.
> 
> Constructive criticism is very much welcomed.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> ~Ji

The family of six watched the female in the center. There was the sound of a scraping before she launched herself upwards and spun clockwise. A sharp thud was heard before applauses resonated around the area. Again she launched herself upwards, this time eliciting louder applauses as the crowd roared.

Nothing could stop her, not even her damaged boots.

She remembered how it happened. She was going backwards, trying to gain momentum. She'd seen it before it happened. She'd seen how another figure was in the air right beside her, just a small distance apart. Knowing the other wouldn't land properly, she wrapped her arms around the other to avoid a collision as they came down. It all happened so fast but she felt something being caught under her sole and before she knew it, she landed on the cold, hard ground. There was a gasp and she heard someone say, "Oh no! Your blade--I'm so sorry."

She craned her neck to get a good look of who it was. It was a Russian skater. She skated to the foot of the female lying on the ground and picked something up. A sleek shiny object which the other identified as a blade. The female on the ground got up and balanced herself on one foot, using her arms to help, while the Russian picked up the blade and screws that scattered around the rink. She then held on to the other's hand to pull her out of the rink. 

A male in his mid thirties came rushing towards the bench. 

"What happened?" the man asked.

There was a short exchange of words but she wasn't listening. She was lost in her thought, as if the world around her was just a static radio. How was she supposed to perform now? Screwing in the blade would take time to adjust but she didn't have it. Not that she had a screw driver anyways. She tried screwing the blades in with her bare hands but was interrupted by her own coach.

"We'll go get you some new boots." he said before he went on his phone to call someone.

Who was he talking to? All that she heard was the rapid beating of her heart that was starting to accelerate. Her breaths got short and ragged, her eyes dilated, and her body started to curl on itself.

The only thing in her mind was the situation of her boots.

"B-Brian...I can't breathe," she croaked out. 

"Shit..." The man then rushed to snatch a nearby paper bag and handed it to her, "Calm down, follow my breathing."

She laid down on the bench and started inhaling with the paper bag over her nose and mouth, her wavering eyes focusing on her coach's breathing.

Once she calmed down, her coach said words that made her heave a breath of relief.

"We have your boots."


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> These labels that they give you  
> just 'cause they don't understand  
> If you look past this moment  
> You'll see you've got a friend  
> Waving a flag for who you are  
> And all you're gonna do  
> ~Invisible - Hunter Hayes

"Are you Mikaela Shio's brother?"

"Do you figure skate?"

"Can we be friends?"

He despised all the attention he got. 

"Guys don't bother, Jun. If he doesn't want to talk then you guys don't need to bother him. Now scram!" 

Juno sighed. Another day at school. People were kind so it wasn't much of a problem but being nosy was a common trait around here, especially when they suspected him of being related to a famous Olympian. He had to be careful or else it would cause him to receive more attention than he already received. He entered the empty class, slouching and sleepy. Coming earlier than everyone else had its perks. For him -- to practise. He held his right arm behind him while his left hand was in front. He jumped and twist his body anti-clockwise.

One.

Two.

Th-there was a thud. Juno had fallen on his rear. He sighed in annoyance but got up to try again. If only Mika was here to help him.

One.

Two.

Three.

Perfect. By now, he was overjoyed -- one step closer to a quadruple jump. His lips quirked into a small smile and rushed towards his seat after checking the time. The other students would be here any minute.

It wasn't a surprise to anyone that they'd meet Juno alone in the classroom no matter how early they arrived. They asked why he always arrived early but his answer was always the same. 'My parents needed to leave early.'

No one questioned him further but they knew it was a lie since every one in the class would commute to school by themselves. 

Not much of Juno was known to the other students since he always kept to himself. He never shared anything, only answering questions with vague answers that were of no use to anyone. 

He had bodyguards--Jushiro and Tadahara. They weren't his actual bodyguards but his friends. Sometimes they would act like parents, other times like bodyguards. Juno was precious to them and everybody knew better than to hurt him.

Junishiro was more on the over-protective side while Tadahara was more of a motherly person. They were both related to to each other as cousins but not many knew since it was common for them to have a dispute resulting in Juno being their tie-breaker. 

Life was difficult for Juno. He had to hide his heritage, his passion and most importantly, his identity. His friends didn't even know his actual name, always referring to him as 'Tatsu Matsuoka'. Sometimes he even forgot it was his alias, no matter how many years his mother called him that. It just felt unnatural for him to reply to the name 'Tatsu'. Sometimes he would forget to reply when he was addressed as 'Tatsu', which would cause suspicions. 

"Tatsu Matsuoka?" The teacher called for attendance checking.

"Hai," he replied flaty.

Six hours of school and Juno was itching to get out of school. Just thirty more minutes. 

"Minna-san, please split into groups of three." 

"Hai!"

The class got up and shuffled around. Some were in conflict while others were calm. In the end, Juno ended up with Jushiro and Tadahara. Their project was quite simple, make a poster that encourages students to read. Jushiro got the art supplies ready while Tadahara thought of a catchy motto. 

The motto was 'Read to Lead'.

To Juno this project didn't really matter to him. His career was chosen already and it definitely didn't involve being literate. Oh wait-it did. How else was he suppose to read his scores?

He longed to get on ice, to fly up into the air. He yearned to get in the rink, where there was no one else but him. He wished to have his problems vanish from existence, to tame the raging thoughts that plagued his mind.

Juno could feel himself floating away into his fantasies. Don't.

"Where are we now?" he asked, only to realise the other two were focused elsewhere. Specifically a pair of white skates being held up by the ikemen of the class. Next to him was Juno's bag with some of its contents scattered on the floor. Oh lord. Not this again.

His eyes flitted around the class worriedly. Had he not hidden his skates well enough or did he purposely search his bag?

He didn't know how to answer when the whole class stared at him. "He doesn't need to answer if he doesn't want to." With that the class went back to making their poster.

Juno sighed. How long was he going to keep hiding? He knew eventually he'd have to reveal himself--he just hoped he'll be ready when the time comes.

Soon the bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Juno rushed out. He sighed, relieved to have been able to survive another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chap 2 is out. Tell me ur thoughts.
> 
> Edited


	3. A not-so-lucky debut :Mikaela Shio

_By WOWster_   
_17 March 2014_

Yesterday, Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia and Mikaela Shio of Japan had an accident during the Ladies' Free Skate warm-up. An incident the world would remember, even if both of the females did not reach the podium. The two were seen skating side-by-side, Shio going backwards while Medvedeva was practising a triple axel. Medvedeva entered the axel with the wrong edge according to some witnesses. In turn cause her to land badly. Experts say that a worser injury would have been inflicted on the two skaters if Shio had not cushioned the fall.

Although both females made up, the damage was done. Shio's boot had a malfunction. Blade of her boot detached itself from the boot upon impact. Researchers say that even the impact of a quadruple jump can not detached a blade, let alone a triple jump.

During an interview later that day, Shio claimed that it was not Medvedeva's fault.

"I discovered that the screw had no grip on my sole on the morning of the competition so I added glue tack and screwed it back it. I didn't know that the whole blade would detach itself. I guess you could say its my fault for not telling Coach Brian. In the end I got to skate and that was all that mattered." She said.

Shio was then asked who's skates she wore to which she replied, "At first I didn't know since I was so focused on the performance. Only after the performance did I realise that the shoes belong to Hanyu Yuzuru."

Right after that Brian Orsers, Shio's coach, claimed that she had a shoe size of a male which caused difficulty when trying to find a substitute skate. For a female of her height, this was no surprise. The interview ended with Orsers humourously saying that if Shio continues growing, he will have to sign her up for the Mens' Single Program.

During the Kiss and Cry, Shio said that she hopes nothing goes wrong with her debut junior because it started with an accident. She assure viewers that she was fine and would take care of her boot more cautiously. Even after viewers heard her statement, some still think that somebody had sabotaged her boot. The International Skating Union claimed that they will investigate the case further. Fans have been making multiple theories about how the malfunction was cause but only time will tell which theory is correct.

However Mikaela Shio is not only known for her broken boot, but also the fact that she wore pants for her performance.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	4. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is happening to me?  
> Crazy, some'd say  
> Where is my friend when I need you most?  
> Gone away  
> ~Ordinary World - Duran Duran

Mikaela woke up and immediately heading for the rink. At this time, she didn't know anybody who would be practising now since most people prefer afternoon sessions.

She laced up her boots, took off her glasses. First, started she with simple step sequence. After going through all her with spins with different entrances.

"I have a call to attend to. Just do a run through of your program meantime." Brian said while playing the Japanese-American female's song.

She did as instructed.

The first note of the piece echoed through the club yet again for the nth time. Crossed over backwards while her hand moved to gesture accordingly. She launched herself up with grace. She tripped over her own legs midair.

The music mocked her. Refusing to stop when she failed.

_L'amour est un oiseau rebelle_

A hand reached out towards her. She took it and hoisted herself up.

_Que nul ne peut apprivoiser_

"Arigatou, Yu-chan. It's 12 o'clock already?" The boy giggled in reply.

 _Et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appell_ e

"Yeah, you've been here for 6 hours." Mikaela patted the male on the head. He groaned in annoyance. She knew he hated when she did that.

She then went back to practice, still not landing her jump. What's wrong with her today? It was supposed to be easy for her. Again she launched herself up into the air. This time it ended badly for her as she felt a searing pain on her leg when she landed. She cried out in pain hoping that it will go away.

She wondered if she had twisted her ankle, perhaps she had dislocated her ankle. She sat up and looked around, wondering if anybody realized her fall, only to realize Yuzuru beside her, watching her intently. He was looking at her worriedly. He gasped as he watched because she couldn't get up. She didn't feel any strength in her leg or her foot for that matter. She stared at her own legs in a displeased manner.

Yuzuru helped her up in a gentle manner. He was careful to lean her weight away from her injured foot. When she unlaced her boots, she knew something was wrong her foot. It was red around the ankle with slight swelling. Her hand grazed her foot gently. She could feel slight tingles where her skin came into contact with each other.

"Mika, what do we do? Do you need me to tell Brian?"

"There's no need for that Yu. I can handle this myself." Yuzuru nodded. After all, she was a medical student. She told Yuzuru to get a cup of icy water. She slowly poured it on her ankle. The water trickling down her ankle brought a stinging sensation. There was an internal injury, most likely a fracture. "Tell coach I'm going to the hospital." 

Yuzuru looked at her worriedly but nevertheless nodded. Limping outside to the bus stop proved to be a difficulty even with Yuzuru's assistance. So in the end, Yuzuru accompanied Mikaela to the hospital. Under one condition from Mikaela, that he was to leave right after Mikaela's X-ray. Reluctantly, he agreed.

After she got a doctor's referral, she proceeded to get a x-ray.

The results were expected.

Upon her own analysis, she discovered her talus was fractured. She didn't need a check-up but she couldn't let Yuzuru know she didn't consult a doctor. She bandaged up her ankle, brought a pair of crutches that was sure to convince a certain someone.

Not long after, her phone started giving out notifications. There was six missed calls as-well-as 18 unread messages, all from the same person. A person she saved as 'プーさん'.

プーさん

>>hey  
>> _I've arrived at TCC_  
>>how is your ankle?  
>>coach brian is really worried  
>>he might even start growing white hair  
>>hello?  
>>ah, you're probably consulting a doctor right now  
>>please reply as soon as possible  
>>we are all worried about you  
>>i have to go now  
>>bye  
>>hey  
>>i'm on break now  
>>any news?  
>>hello?  
>>how long does it take for a check-up?  
>>oh! you left you training bag here  
>>don't worry i've got it

Hey<<  
Im back<<

The doctor says I fractured my <<  
ankle  
Might take a few months to heal<<  
Thank you for bring my training bag<<  
Meet up at my apartment?<<

  
It took a few minutes before he replied with a 'sure'. She limped towards the exit before she started cursing herself for getting injured. It would take atleast eight weeks to recover completely, in other words, no practices for two months and definitely no quadruple jumps for atleast a month after.

Their rendezvous was Mikaela's living quarters near their training location. It was a towering building wedged between a sweet shop and a cafe. The infrastructure was painted brown. The brown wasn't sandy but a hot chocolate-like shade, a shade she loved so much.

The cab slowed down as it neared her apartment. She payed the driver and thanked him. She manuvered her crutches out of the cab before the driver got up to help her. With the assistance of the driver, she finally made it to her sanctuary.

Her apartment was a combination of simple and comfortable. The walls had pictures of the skaters in Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club all posing in various different outfits and places. Some were taken during the Gala while others were taken during competitions or even during practices.

The living room had nothing but a study table and a yoga mat rolled up in one corner. Through the doorway on the end of the living room was a kitchen Mikaela barely used. She loved cooking however she barely had anytime to enjoy a homemade meal, let alone cook a meal. She would usually go with salads and chicken breast since they save more time to prepare.

The room next to the kitchen was her own bedroom. Her bedroom was connected to a bathroom by another door. The bed room itself had yellow walls from old age, a futon mattress, a small drawer for her clothes and a bookshelf. There was the sound of giggling from the room. She could tell it was a male voice. In fact, she knew who it was.

When she entered her own bedroom, she was greeted with an adorable sight. Two boys were snuggled against on corner adjacent to the door with their grotesque feet sticking out. The giggler was wearing an all-black attire. The other male was donning a similar outfit to the other. "Sh...Yuzu if you keep giggling she will find us," said the curly haired one.

The other tried to suppress his giggles but to no avail, all while Mikaela silently took multiple pictures of them. "You know you guys are terrible at hiding right?"

The nonchalant voice gave then a shock. They spun their head around to find the owner of the room standing at the door. The older boy laughed sheepishly beside a clueless Yuzuru. "Huh? What did you say? I didn't quite get it."

"I said you guys are terrible at hiding"

"Oh....."

"That's not fair. I never speak Spanish when Yuzu is present."

The two Japanese laughed. It was funny to see the Spaniard frustrated. The Japanese male ran to the kitchen, looking for any red coloured food. **"How is your ankle?"**

**"It's fine I just need a month or two to heal."**

**"You sure? Did it hurt? You can still skate-"**

**"I'm fine Javier."** This sentence caught Javier's attention. Mikaela was getting annoyed. He knew Mikaela well enough to know she never called anyone close to her by their first names because she deemed nicknames to be a sign of friendship. Another thing she hated was people being concerned her when they knew well enough she could take care of herself. Javier kept quiet, just staring at Mikaela.

She walked into the kitchen to find every red coloured food she had was spread on the dining table. The culprit was standing over the food with his right hand on his chin. "Which one should I eat?" He mumbled to himself.

"Definitely not my cherry tomatoes."

"Definitely the cherry tomatoes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	5. The Culprit of Mikaela Shio's Boot

_By WOWsters_   
_28 March 2014_

Last month, in February, an accident during the Ladies Single Program took the world by storm. Everyone knew of the accident wherein Shio's blade detached from her skate after a collision with Evgenia Medvedeva.

Figure skating fans across the globe even started a heated argument of this topic. Friends and families of the two skaters were reportedly harassed on social media. Some were neutral while others took sides.

After the long wait, the results of the investigation were finally revealed to the world. The culprit was Shio's former coach. Shio used to learn speed skating, however, she stopped due to a financial crisis.

Her coach's identity is not publicized upon Shio's request, however, her coach did not escape without consequences. The ISU strictly banned any of the coach's students to join any speed skating competitions.

Some fans are complaining that the ISU took such a long time to issue a statement. The thing is the case was complicated, very complicated and perhaps unique.

The first thing the our investigation team did was rewinding the camera footage of the ice arena and hotel. It was discovered that a male around the age of 13 years old. He was seen looking through Shio's skate bag after practice the day before the competition. He was aided with sandpaper which Detective Simson Coller said was to smoothen out the inside of the sole. Specifically, the hole where the screw holding the blade is screwed into. He had only finished smoothening out one hole before Shio came back however the impact was huge.

This would have concluded the case if the question 'why would he do it?' had not popped into Detective Coller's mind. "He had no association with Shio, he's a speed skater and she [Shio] is a figure skater. There has to be someone else behind this," said the detective.

After check watching the whole camera footage, the detective crew discovered the boy lived in a nearby hotel with his coach. The two were put under surveillance for two weeks while Detective Coller tried to look for any other suspects. Still, Shio's previous speed skating coach was on top of the list of suspects.

Only at the beginning of March did they have enough evidence to prove Shio's coach guilty. Her coach was answering a phone call when she confessed everything. She said, "Yes. [Name of student] did it. He filed off the inside-the screw hole." The last sentence was what the crew saw when they first turned back the footage.

She [Shio's coach] was was questioned to which she admitted she was guilty. She confessed that she had told the young boy that if he did not do as she said, she will no longer coach him.

He was born into poverty so when she took him under her wing, he would do anything to keep the position. The young boy told the investgators that his coach intended to get revenge at Shio for leaving her. Not only that but it was revealed that a fellow figure skater orchestrated the disaster.

Yekaterina Gurilyova was the Russian gold medalist of the (2011 -2014) World Figure Skating Championships. That was until Mikaela Shio came into the picture. Shio proceeded to overthrow her over the course of three years. Needless to say, Gurilyova was upset. She created a plan by herself and looked for someone who would do the dirty work.

However, the ISU took no action to justify Mikaela. The case was finally closed or so say the ISU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	6. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems to me that there are more hearts  
> Broken in the world that can't be mended  
> Left unattended  
> What do we do? What do we do?
> 
> Alone again, naturally
> 
> ~Alone Again - Gilbert O'Sullivan

Mikaela woke up to the sound of her screeching phone at the crack of dawn. Curtains were shut and room was dark. She patted the floor for her flip phone which was a good meter away from her. Who would call her at this time?

She knew something was wrong when the caller identity appeared as '基地ろ'. She knew he would never call her since they had a time difference of 14 hours. The clock beside the futon mattress read '05.30'. She reached out her arm to grab her phone.

"Moshi moshi."

**"Hola, how are you?"**

"I'm doing well. How about you?"

**"I'm fine but I have a problem."**

"Go on."

**"** **I-they** **found out. They found my skates, well actually your hand-me-down ones."**

"Which one? The Gold Star?"

**"Yeah. I don't know if they have seen your name or not. I hope not. What do I do?"**

"Well...you could just say you skate as a hobby but if they ask why my name is on the blade just say you're a big fan if me." Mikaela giggled at the thought of Juno saying he was a big fan of her.

**"Absolutely not. Anyways I got to go now.** **Adios** **."**

"Sayonara."

Mikaela huffed in annoyance. What was she going to do now? She was not allowed on the ice so all she could do was work out to keep in shape. She knew if she stopped exercising completely, she would not be able to land any of her jumps after her ankle healed.

She pulled herself across the room to get her crutches. She sat up, propped up her crutches and body. She limped into the kitchen, looking for her salad. The salad sat on the lowest rack on the fridge. Just her luck.

She leaned the crutches on the counter for a moment. She leaned her weight onto her left leg while she bent her upper half and reached forward. She got back on her crutches right after. Eating the salad proved to be a difficulty. She should have gotten a chair.

In the end, she had to lean on the wall when she ate her salad. She smiled to herself. She had a month or two for herself. She could do whatever she wanted as long as she did not use her right foot. She was definitely going to attend school. She could be a normal student.

With that in mind, she hopped to the bathroom. Everything was going well. She could even take a proper shower. When she was ready, the clock read 7:49. She rushed to get her school supplies ready. How could she have forgotten it?

She rushed to get her materials or at least she tried to, only to fall on her stomach. _That hurts._ She got up only to realized she wasted 11 minutes already. Kuso _._

By 8:20, she was ready to go. She called for a cab and was ready to go. She was definitely going to be late. 

_9:06_

She got on her crutches in a hurry. No time to lose. _Why does the only entrance to the school have so many stairs?_ Kuso _._ Step by step, she went up.

First the glass door, then the wooden door. She made it to class. The class erupted into cheers while she felt someone clinging on to her. "You're back! We missed you!" screeched whoever was holding her.

"All hail the queen who rose from the ashes! All hail Mikaela Shio!" They all celebrate so enthusiastically that they failed to notice Mikaela's injury. Who could blame them? They were seeing an athlete in person, even the teacher joined them.

Mikaela was pretty sure the whole school knew of her return. She laughed along with the others. It was felt amazing to be back in school as an _ordinary_ student. She liked it when people cheer for her but sometimes she just wants some peace and quiet.

Her schoolmates kept staring at her when she was walking through the school hall. She wondered if it was because she was not rollerblading around the school, her injury or simply her presence. She would roller skate everywhere to make up for the eight years headstart other skaters got which is why now she barely had any life outside of skating.

Only now did she start to contemplate her career choices. Had she chosen the wrong career? She hoped not. Her career was between a win or lose. Either she earned a lot or she lost a lot. She had to get onto the podium.

Mikaela cursed. She forgot her lunch out of all things. "Did you bring your lunch?" asked Emalyn in her sophisticated voice. For someone with strict parents, Emalyn's food did not look like it. She always ate food with higher fat levels since she had hyperthyroid.

"I might have forgotten?"

"First day of school and you've already forgotten something-here take some of mine."

Mikaela stared at Emalyn's food in distaste. There were french fries, fried chicken and fruits. There was more fat than carbohydrates. "I can't eat it."

"What-why?"

"Because she's an athlete dummy. She doesn't have hyperthyroid like you." Mikaela could only smile weakly at Reece's comment. Reece had always been the one to understand Mikaela more since he had a figure skating brother. "I've got some more edible food."

True enough, Reece had more _edible_ food. His lunch contained slices of boiled beef and a chunk of mash potatoes, all packed in one box. He handed Mikaela a spoon and dug in. She thanked him and started eating. She hummed in content. It was the best meal she ever tasted in years.

Before she knew it, it was the end of school. She was about to flag down a cab before her phone started vibrating vigorously. "Hello?"

"Moshi moshi," said the person on the other end of the line.

"Yu-chan?"

"Yes. Where are you? I check your house. The nearby  convenience store, the mall and like basically everywhere."

"I-hehehe-I'm in going home from school right now."

"In school? You have to be careful. You're got injured-" 

**"** **Mija** **, what are you thinking?! Are you crazy? What were-"**

"Javi, please. I'm fine, you don't have to worry about me." Then she cut off the line. She was tired of people being worried about her. She hoped people would stop it. She could fend for herself. In the end, she went home by herself. She prayed to the lords above that she would get peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	7. Figure Skating: Injured Shio Pulled From Competition

_by KYODO NEWS_

_24 March 2014_

TORONTO -- Defending Junior World Champion Mikaela Shio, who sustained a fractured talus during practice in her club rink, is forced to withdraw from the upcoming competitions, said the Japanese Skating Federation.

Shio, who had been looking forward to defending her title in the upcoming Junior World Championship, fell while attempting a quad Salchow at Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club a few days earlier.

"My doctor has forbidden me from any activities that involve placing my weight on my right leg," said the 15-year-old. "Give it a few months or so and my ankle should be up to standards. Only then will I start training," she added after being asked what she plans to do.

She will only be allowed on the ice after May this year to make sure that her ankle is fully healed, according to her coach Brian Orser.

The injury would most likely force Shio to sit out for the rest of the season. Although it was her take-off foot that got injured, Shio is said to have abandoned training completely until her ankle is ready to carry the stress she puts on it again.

Earlier Wednesday, Brian said that Shio is not able to walk without crutches. Until Shio can walk without crutches, concerns for her would continue to plague minds. There was even a possibility that Shio would be on the ice within two months but only time will tell certainly how long she needs to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	8. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're like a part of me that only I can see  
> You're even with me when I'm all alone  
> The people stop and stare, they say that no one's there  
> Maybe we're better when we're on our own
> 
> 'Cause they don't know you like I know you, I know they don't  
> No, they don't
> 
> ~Anywhere - Dillon Francis

When Juno said he hate popularity, he meant it. He flinched at anyone who came within a one meter radius into his personal space. He did not say anything when people questioned him. He did not even look up to greet anyone.

Saying Jushiro was worried was an understatement. He was beyond worried. What had become of Juno? A monster? No. He had become what he truly is.

Funny how it took three years to get Juno to talk but only a month to get him to close up again.

Jushiro watched Juno's interaction with a fellow classmate. He watched as Juno flinch when the classmates shoulder came in contact with his. Jushiro could not tell if he was frightened or merely caught off guard or maybe a mix of both. "He's scared," said Tadaharu in his silvery smooth voice. Jushiro spun around to get a better look at Tadaharu.

The older of the two always had a dreamlike expression. Always serene and happy. He was the more observant between the two cousins or perhaps the smarter one. He smiled sadly. Juno didn't deserve the treatment he got. Not that Tadaharu was jealous however the attention Juno got was taking a toll on him.

Juno had evolved over the past month. From a quiet boy to a unresponsive robot. _Follow him_ was inscribed in Tadaharu's neat handwriting.

The paper soon landed on Jushiro's table in a form of a crane. He could only furrow his brow in reply. What did Tadaharu want? Fan service? Information? He never understood Tadaharu anyways so it did not really matter.

The younger boy did not remember how he ended up in an ice rink with Juno in the center but he remembered being pulled around by his cousin.

Soon the music in the rink came to a stop. A young female skated over to Juno in a black sport attire.

The female said something unintelligeble from a distance to which Juno nodded while looking down in a frightened manner. He went back to the center and restarted his routine.

His routine started off with a backward twizzle. Then came a triple axel, some hand gestures and some other moves Jushiro did not know. What caught his attention was the last jump the male skater did before the ending pose.

The jump was fluid. It was like lightning in a way. Gone before anyone knew it. Was it a quadruple jump? Or was it just an extremely fast triple jump? Nevertheless, it was enchanting.

"We have to go. Now," the urgency in his cousin's voice was enough to draw Jushiro's eyes away from Juno's figure. Again, he was being dragged around.

Tadaharu only stopped when they were in the metro heading home.  
"What if they were right?" Tadaharu asked while gazing at the blank space in front of him.

"What?"

"What if  Tatsu-kun was actually Mikaela's brother?"

"He said he didn't have any siblings."

"What if he lied to us? What if he just doesn't w-"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear it."

Tadaharu muttered a soft 'okay' and turned away to stare at a blank space beside him. He was slightly hurt at the older's tone. He should have know not to bring it up. Especially since Jushiro favoured Juno over him.

The rest of the journey was silent. If their thoughts could be heard, it would not be. Both of them knew Juno had lied to them, always saying his mom wanted him to be home after school for chores when instead he was at the local rink.

Jushiro turned his head to apologize to Tadaharu only to have the latter's head on his shoulder. Tadaharu's hair was a curly mop of shiny black. His face was bathed in golden rays, highlighting his soft facial features. His eyes were shut lazily.

"Next stop, Ushijimacho ."

"Wake up Haru. We're here." Jushiro whispered while shaking his cousin. His cousin groaned before drowsily leaning to the empty air beside him. Jushiro reached out in time to grab his collar. This action rattled Tadaharu.

He got up after his eyes widened. He quickly rushed out of the train, followed by Jushiro.

They walked towards their respective living quarters silently. Tadaharu skipped ahead, leaving Jushiro behind with his thoughts. Tadaharu's words were getting to him. Jushiro hated how Tadaharu had his way with words.

His words were like honey, smooth and silky sweet. His eyes were sharp. He caught every detail of every action. His mind was his best feature. It explored beyond possibilities, beyond barriers.

Jushiro was at his door step before he knew it. Tadaharu waved him goodbye from the next door. Jushiro nodded in return.

The apartment was empty when he entered. His mother was probably getting groceries while his father was working.

He did his homework when he was waiting for his parents. Soon after, he got bored so he ended up watching the television parallel to the entrance.

He was greeted with the sight of a portrait of a Japanese male. The male was wearing a blue shimmering dress shirt which was tucked into black trousers with words on the bottom of the picture.

"-Hanyu-senshu is an inspirations to many young skater. Just like a shonen protagonist, he has been through a lot of difficulties. Hanyu-senshu was part of the Great Japanese Earthquake in 2011. Fortunately he survived.

"Last year, he surpassed the 100 points mark during his short program.-" Jushiro turned the television off. For some reason, he hated figure skating. Maybe because it reminded him Juno had lied to him.

That night, he slept with the thought of confronting Juno tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	9. Hanyu Out after Surgery

_By Japan Times_   
_Dec 30, 2014_

Olympic and world champion Yuzuru Hanyu will be hospitalized for two weeks and off the ice for one month following surgery for a bladder problem, the Japan Skating Federation announced on Tuesday.

Hanyu, who won his third straight national title on Saturday night in Nagano, pulled out of the Exhibition Gala scheduled for Monday at the All-Japan Championships and returned to Tokyo for an examination on Sunday.

“I have felt some pain since the Grand Prix Final and spoke to my doctor about it,” Hanyu said in a statement. “I was advised to have an examination to determine the extent of the problem.”

The JSF said the operation was on Hanyu’s urachus, which is a fibrous remnant of the allantois, a canal that drains the urinary bladder of the fetus that joins and runs within the umbilical cord.

The statement said that generally the condition is one that affects youngsters, but in some cases impacts adults.

Hanyu’s next scheduled competition is the world championships in Shanghai in late March.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taken from the internet


	10. Chapter 5

Cha Junhwan has seen many perculiar things in life but he never seen someone wearing inline figure skating boots on a turn board doing a biellman spin next to the ice rink. On closer inspection, he realised that only two of the front wheels were on the center of the board while the other two were levitating. How she managed to stay on the board was a mystery.

Junhwan did not have a clear expectation of the Cricket Club when he arrived at the said place. All he knew was that he did not expect to see this. He would have expected skaters to be grim faced and sweaty.

He looked around to see if anyone else noticed the tall slender figure, only to find no one batting an eye at it. Weird.

Brian continued leading him around the building, introducing him to each nook and cranny of the club. "Go change, we'll start practise," Brian told the young skater.

Junhwan nodded and dragged his lagguge along to the changing room. There, he met the peculiar figure he saw when he first entered. It was a female donned in all black. Even her skates were black. She changed from her inline skates into her figure skates. "You...skate...black?" he choked out.

The freckles female looked up at Junhwan. "Yeah."

Junhwan was stunned. It was the Mikaela Shio. The Junior skater who took the world by storm. "Uh...are you going to change?"

Junhwan nodded. He hurried along to the bench opposite of the door. He sat down nervously. He unzipped his lagguge to get his skates. He looked up again to see that Mikaela's skates had towels wrapped on the blades instead of a soakers. 

Not wanting to be caught staring, he quickly tied his skates. He trudged along the corridor after changing his soakers into hard guards. Brian gesture for Junhwan to come to him. 

"Everyone please gather here." Every skater on the ice skated towards Brian. "This," he paused while pointing at Junhwan,"is Junhwan Cha from Korea who will be training along side you guys." The whole club clapped. 

Junhwan bowed as a form of respect. 

Every skater on the ice stepped out which made Junhwan confused. What were they doing? "We are going to have an assessment." 

Junhwan still looked lost. The only thing he could utter was a what. Then Brian started miming. "You-" Brian pointed at the ice and started jogging in his skates. He was still confused. Until somebody thought of using Google Translate.

"Coach Brian is trying your skills," said the mechanical voice of Javier's phone. 

Junhwan couldn't stop the giggle from surfacing. "What's so funny?" Junhwan shook his head. 

Soon, he got on the ice.

Before he knew it, he was soaring into the air with the climax of the melody. 

There was rounds of applauses as he ended. His quads and triples need some more polishing. 

The other skaters when back onto the ice while Junhwan got off the ice to talk to Brian. After a series of miming, Junhwan was tasked to perform every jump possible. "Single axel," Brian said while holding up his index finger. 

Junhwan nodded. He got ready as he launched upwards. They transitioned from axel to a loop jump. 

After another series of miming, Junhwan was strapped onto a hand held harness. This time he was only asked to perform his quadruple jumps and a triple axel. He has in the air for his loop when he felt himself colliding with something else. He was being yanked backwards which caused him to stumble on the slightly elevated edge of the ice rink when his foot came in contact with the ice.

"Mikaela, no quads today."

Mikaela sat on the ice in front of Junhwan with her legs outstretched. She got up and help Junhwan from his half levitating position. "Sorry. Are you okay?" Junhwan nodded.

"Call...my...Jun." 

"Okay, Jun. See you." Mikaela waved at Junhwan.

"Gosh she's going to kill herself some day. Anyways let's try that again."

From then on, he knew he had to learn English for the sake of his career.

After the evaluation, Junhwan left the rink and stubbled upon a cheap black skate guard. The one that would hook onto the back of the stanchion while the other end would encase the toe pick in a thin plastic layer. 

He cautiously looked around. Why would somebody own such a cheap skate guard. Maybe it belong to one of the younger kids who skate here. Judging by the size of the skate guard, it belongs to a male an adult male perphaps. Maybe it was Brian's. 

He met Javier Fernandez and Yuzuru Hanyu in the changing room. Their interaction was akward to say the least. Javier introduced himself as 'Javi' and Yuzuru bowing multiple times. "Call me Yuzu," Yuzuru declared. 

"Me...Jun," replied Junhwan. 

The day was quite interesting. 

The boys went to eat together in a nearby restaurant after myriads of translation configuration. 

The lunch, which turned into a whole tour of Toronto, was enjoyable. 

For dinner, they ended up in a Japanese restaurant with the addition of Nam Nyugen. 

Yuzuru recommended some fried Japanese dish with rice.

Junhwan had to admit that the food was heavenly. He was glad they didn't seem to mind that he could barely understand English. In the end, they all split the check since everyone fought over who paid it.

Junhwan felt amazing. He loved how everyone accepted him. Maybe moving to Toronto wasn't a bad idea.

Junhwan was walking alone with Yuzuru leading, and Nam and Javier lagging behind. Yuzuru was spitting out some rapid Japanese at whomever was on the other end of the line. He caught Yuzuru mentioning his name. 

He felt two arms around his neck. One from the left, one from the right. "Why the sad face?" Nam said with chuckles between each word. 

"I am no sad," replied Junhwan. He strung the words carefully but it came out in a childish way. They laughed at his childish tone.

"How is Toronto?"

"Good...very happy come skate."

"You love to skate don't you?"

"Yes."

Boarding a bus was quite complicated since they all have different stops. Their luggage proved to be another hassle. Yuzuru brought a grey one, Nam and Javier brought black ones and Junhwan himself brought a white marble patterned one.

"This stop...mine. Bye everyone. Happy night!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	11. 100-point Mark Broken

_by GLOBE_

_13 February 2014_

  


  
SOCHI, Russia — Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu made figure skating history, and now can chase even more of it.

He'll do so without having to fend off a challenge from another record-setter, Russia's Evgeni Plushenko.

Hanyu became the first figure skater to break the 100-point mark with a spectacular performance in the men's short program on Thursday night at the Sochi Games. He earned 101.45 points with a playful, almost seductive routine in which he seemed to flow above the ice.

''I was so surprised with my score,'' Hanyu said. ''I didn't know I got over 100.''

He shouldn't have been, considering the speed, sharpness, entertainment value, and total conviction of his skating. He nailed his two biggest jumps, including a huge a quadruple toe loop to open the program, and his triple lutz-triple toe combination was exquisite.

''For Yuzuru, that was perfection,'' said his coach, Brian Orser. ''That's as good as it gets.''

Get Sports Headlines in your inboxThe Globe's most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.

Hanyu, 19, also won the men's short program in the team event and is on quite a run with wins in the Grand Prix Final, Japanese championships, and his Sochi achievements.

While Hanyu was soaring to a nearly 4-point lead over three-time world champion Patrick Chan of Canada, Plushenko finished his stellar career, withdrawing with a back injury.

No man from an Asian nation or Canada has won Olympic gold in figure skating. Chan, who was fifth in Vancouver, put on his best Olympic routine to stay within sight of Hanyu.

''Four points in singles men's is not much,'' Chan said. ''I like being in second. I like being in the chase. It's exciting to me.''

Javier Fernandez of Spain, a country that's never won an Olympic figure skating medal, was third with 86.98.

American Jason Brown put on the performance of his young skating career to finish sixth. He's within the width of a skate blade of third heading into Friday's free skate.

''All year in this program, in every competition I have gone to, I have gotten a personal best,'' the 19-year-old Brown said. ''I didn't want to stop in the Olympics.''

Brown will be the final skater Friday night. Fernandez leads off the last group of six, with Daisuke Takahashi second, Hanyu third, and Chan fourth. Peter Liebers of Germany is the other skater in the final group.

The night began with wild swings, from Plushenko falling in warm-ups to US champion Jeremy Abbott crashing. Abbott stayed down for a lengthy period after his fall, and just when coach Yuka Sato was about to open the entry door to help him, he struggled to his feet and continued his program.

The four-time US champ nailed every subsequent element to wind up 15th.

''I'm not in the least bit ashamed,'' Abbott said. ''I stood up and I finished that program and I'm proud of my effort and I'm proud of what I did under the circumstance.''  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taken from the internet


	12. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lately I've been on my grind  
> Some days I feel exhausted  
> But right now I'm feelin' fine  
> ~Dear Mom - Zachary James

"When are you coming back?"  
"I'm not sure."  
"I'm guessing not anytime soon?"  
"Yeah."

"Even we're not enough to make her stay." The soft mumble brought shame to Mikaela. Is that what they thought? Did they really think she didn't care?

She did. More than they ever know. 

She just wanted to tell them that they deserved somebody better. She wanted the little voice to stop, to leave her alone.

She slid across the ice for the 12th time that day. She could her the sound of ice being scrapped around her. Her breath got quicker and more shallow.

She felt her ribs closing in on her heart. She felt it being squeezed but she tried to fight the nausea that came with it. Her vision grew blurrier than she remembered as her pupils dilated. 

She got up only to fall to her knees. The world was spinning. She could hear her therapist's voice in her head, telling her to stabilise herself, to hold onto something.

She followed the voice. She placed her hands on the floor and rested her head along with it. She saw red below her face. The world swirled around her. The white of the ice, the black of her apparel and the red of the puddle swirled faster and faster until they all became a canvas of blur. 

She teetered sidewards onto her back, clutching her nose. She kicked out her legs in urgency. She rolled onto her side and tried to get up. She wasn't suppose to lay down during a nose bleed. 

She got wobbled onto her knees with her back arched forward. She tried to breathe, to take a huge gulp of air. "Help...me," she croaked out weakly.

Her air passages were clogged with blood. Her mind was blank. All those years of medical studies were useless if Mikaela couldn't even think properly.

She felt a pair of arms snaking around her waist. Then came another under her arm and a third at her feet. With the combined efforts of the arms and what ever strength Mikaela had left, they managed to get her out of harm's way. The arms set her down on a bench. 

She kept her head tilted downwards and her hands cupped under her chin. The world was coming into view. The black blobs were taking the shape of humans. She felt her head being held down as soon as someone covered her nose with tissue. 

"Breath from your mouth."

Mikaela tasted blood on her lips. She lifted a gloved hand to wipe it away. Mikaela looked at Brian, who had previously supplied her with tissue."I'm fine now."

Brian sighed but didn't object. "Back to training boys." 

For the rest of the session, Brian didn't let Mikaela graze the ice even if Mikaela already changed her clothes. Saying Mikaela shouldn't over exsert herself again. She nodded along but continued her session without Brian's consent. Brian wasn't the only one she had to look out for. There was Tracy and Javier. 

Tracy smiled as she watched Mikaela attempting a jump. She'd never give up. 

"Mika, Brian said no skating remember? I'm going to tell Brian!" Javier threatened.

"Look at yourself. Remember that time you messed up Brian's-hmph."

Javier got onto his toe picks to muffle Mikaela words. "You're a little devil aren't you? We'll have a deal then. I won't tell Brian about you practising now and you won't tell Brian about what I did."

"Deal." Mikaela shook the Japanese's out stretched hand. 

With that, they parted ways. Javier going back to polishing his quadruple toe loop while Mikaela got back to doing her jumps. First she started from single jumps, transitioning to quadruples. The singles up to the doubles were shakily but still fine. 

Next she tried triple jumps. Her triples were a nightmare. Everything was messed up, her axis, landing and entrance. She already knew from the way her muscles were scream that she could no longer do a quad jump until she got back to training her muscles again.

Practise was went just as normal. If Brian saw Mikaela on the ice, he didn't call her out on it. Maybe Brian knew that nothing could stop Mikaela from practising.

Mikaela was done with her practise when she began to tune into the world around her. Poor Junhwan was standing on the side akwardly with his hand held harness still on. The pole of the harness in his right hand.

She spun around to spot Javier having polishing his quad in one corner. She wanted to invite him to a battle however she felt obliged to help Junhwan out. "Hey. Jun right?" The said male nodded. "Need some help?"

Junhwan smiled sheepishly. He knew he needed help. He wanted help too. He imagined maybe Javier or the other guys would help him. Through out his three weeks here, he never shared an interaction with Mikaela. He heard stories of her, not bad ones.

Javier said that Mikaela has been growing distant ever since her injury. She has been training hard for the past three weeks, sometimes unintentionally ignoring Brian or Tracey. 

Junhwan handed the pole to Mikaela. "What jump do you need help with?"

"Brian said...axeleu. Triple axeleu?" Mikaela nodded.

Mikaela guided Junhwan along. It was her first time lifting someone on a harness. "Jump when i say 'three' okay?"

Junhwan nodded along. 

"One-" Junhwan started doing crossovers backwards.

"Two-" Junhwan stopped doing crossovers instead gliding backward on one foot.

"Three." Mikaela lift him up while Junhwan launched himself upwards. He pulled in all his limbs. He spun and landed shakily. 

"I land wrong?" he asked Mikaela.

"No. It's under rotated. That's only three and a quarter spin."

"Try again?"

"You betcha!" her voice boomed. 

The process repeated itself multiple times, until Brian and Tracey came back from whatever they were doing. "Whose lift is better, Jun?" Tracey asked jokingly.

Junhwan looked at Brian then at Mikaela. He looked down before mumbling a soft 'Mikaela'. The two coaches chuckled in amusement. "You should start coaching Jun now, Mika."

"Yep," Mikaela added,"call me Mika."

Junhwan nodded and repeated Mikaela's nickname. "Boys and girl let's wrap it up now." The males on the ice refuse to get out. 

"Dinner's on me!" Mikaela yelled. Hearing this, the two males ran over to the changing room. From the door of the changing room, Mikaela heard Nam ask what the three boys were rushing for. 

Mikaela walked to the changing room right after the boys. They were all changing like there was no tomorrow. Their training shirts were being tossed everywhere in a hurry, their skates weren't fully untied, still clinging on to their feet.

Within three minutes, they were done changing, just waiting for Mikaela.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


	13. Shio Back On Ice With an Addition

_By WOWsters_   
_7 April 2015_

After a year of media blackout, Shio was finally spotted in public with Javier Fernandez, Nam Nyugen, and Yuzuru Hanyu, dining in a restaurant across their training center.

Shio was seen walking without any difficulty. The question is: is Shio back on the ice or is she merely dining out with her fellow training mates?

A fractured talus takes about 8 to 12 weeks to heal however it is said that Shio to longer than the said time to heal due to undisclosed reasons.

It is theorized that she was back on training thanks to her usual training backpack that she brought with her on a daily basis. She was also seen skating around the tarmac road in inline skates but she had not performed any strenuous movements, mostly sticking to step sequences and axis spins.

Besides the Cricket Club skaters, a new member was seen joining them. A black bowl cut male around the age of 12. Upon research, it is Junhwan Cha who was the new addition to the Cricket Club. Although not much is known about Cha, WOWster staffs were able to fish out some information. Cha was a child actor, model, and ballet dancer. Cha is said to have amazing artistry, to say the least. For now we can only rely on the scarce information the staffs have obtained, only time will tell how well Cha skates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a rlly crappy chapter by urs truly
> 
> unedited
> 
> feel free to leave comments about my errors
> 
> Chapter 7 should be out this week or next week by the end of next week


	14. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so let's get out of here  
> past the atmosphere  
> squint your eyes and no one dies or goes to jail  
> past the silver bridge  
> oh the silver bridge wearing nothing but a one-sie and a veil.
> 
> oh-no  
> oh-no  
> oh-no  
> oh-no  
> ~Oh No - Andrew Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally chap 7 is out  
> Tht took some time  
> So update will come slower im afraid but ill try my best to be quick :D

Juno returned home to be greeted by his four-year-old sister, Isabella. "How was school? Is it bad? So now you have a sad face?" her cheerful voice inquired.

Juno set his bag down. "No. I'm not sad."

"Oh that is good," she turned around before continuing. "Mom cooked Miso soup today. Let's go eat!"

Isabella rushed back into the kitchen.

Juno smiled at Isabella. In his eyes, Isabella was perfect. He sighed. She reminded him of Mikaela. He shook his head to clear away his thoughts as he placed his belongings in his room.

Isabella munched her food excitedly. One hand holding the rice bowl and the other holding a cube of tofu between her chopstick.

Juno rushed in to join Isabella. "You started eating without me?"

He wasn't going to let Isabella finish all the miso soup. He scooped himself a bowl of rice and miso soup. "Itadakimasu!" The two children yelled at the same time. They laughed right after.

Today, the eight-year-old male decided to do the dishes. Juno swayed along with the tune he hummed. The tune he could've hummed while he was half asleep. The tune he gave all his blood, sweat, and tears.

He didn't realize the house had gone quiet until he stopped humming. Juno stepped to the side, reaching out for the rag hung on the wall. He continued with his chore. He moved on from wiping the eating utensils he washed to wiping the countertop and dining table.

It was nine at night when he was finally finished with his chores. He took a peek at the television.

There was no sign of his younger sister. He walked towards their shared room to find Isabella passed out on the bed. He grabbed the blankets as he walked closer to the head of the bed. He felt her leaning into his touch. He smiled.

He got up and headed for the toilet before coming back.

"Do you want me to sleep next to you?" he whispered. She let out a high pitched hum and moved over. Slowly, he eased his way under the blanket. He faced her and pulled her close to him, his own body engulfing hers.

He didn't know what time he woke up but he knew he heard the keys turning and the apartment door being unlocked. He held onto his sister tighter before he lost consciousness again.

Juno's body seemed to know the time well, always bringing him back to consciousness around the same time every day. Gently, he pulled his arm from under Isabella.

He stumbled along the corridor to the toilet. With the lights turned on, he took some time to observe himself. His black hair stuck up in some random direction. He ruffled his hair while his eyes remained glued to his face. His bleary-eyed reflection stared back.

_"Aww why the sad face? Sometimes you just gotta smile."_

He tried smiling. _You can do this. Just lift up the muscles on your cheeks._ The ends of his lips curled upwards but his eyes. They gave him away. They were an endless void of dullness.

He took one last glance at his reflection before turning away to do his business in the toilet. He'd have to prepare for what has yet to come.

Would they ask about his skates? Or was he just too paranoid? He hoped they didn't ask.

Slowly, his mind succumbed into autopilot. He was in control again when he was on his bike. He zigzagged through the market place, into the main street and out to the alleyway shortcut.

The air smelled fresh with nature all around him, petrichor, and a tinge of salt. He could hear the sound of birds chirping and the ocean clashing against the shore. Slowly, he lifted his hand up to cup the wind. The cool air hit him with full force but his body was trained to endure harsh forces.

With his newly acquired skills, he rode through the alleyway without the assistance of his hands. He was out of the alleyway when the sun shone on him again.

Where the alleyway ended was where his school emerged. Standing up in its full glory. The beige walls reflected the sunlight which, in the cyclist's opinion, looked liked the walls were glowing. The entrance was filled with students and bicycles.

Juno parked his bike at the far end of the entrance, away from everyone else's. "Hey, Juno! Over here!"

He spun around to be greeted with the sight of his two best friends hurling toward him. More like, Tadaharu dragging Jushiro along.

The two cousins were dressed simply. Neat white t-shirt tucked into their grey trousers. Ther dark hair were tousled by the wind, both combed their fringe to their left. "Ohayo, Shiro, Haru."

The day began like any other. Greetings being exchanged between student and teacher, then class started. All joking placed aside, the class was deathly silent, save for the teachers explanation.

"Is it true that you are a figure skater, Matsuoka-san?" Juno flinched upon a presence within his meter radius. Unconsciously, he shuffled away from the voice.

The owner had her hands outstretched towards Juno. Her eyes were wide with curiosity and her head tilted to the side, making part of her cover mouth.

 _Reiko_ _Yujino_. A girl who towered over Juno by a head. Her hair reached her mid-back while her bangs grazed her eyebrows. She stared at him expectantly. Her eyes grazing over his freckles.

"I like your freckles. They're cute," she blurted out. The corners of her lips curled upwards delicately and her eyes disappeared into crescents. When she left, Juno heaved a sigh of relief.

"Tatsu, are you alright?" Tadaharu's voice rang out from behind him. Yet again Juno flinched.

"Do you know?" he managed to croak out.

"Hm? Know about what?" His wide eyes stared at Juno. _You know what I mean_ the latter wanted to scream.

Juno scrutinized his friend's expression. Pale lips were pushed upwards to form an innocent pout. His eyes gazed back at Juno the same intensity.

_Tadaharu_ _, how much do you know about me? My true identity? My hobby maybe? Will you tell anyone?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors

**Author's Note:**

> Prologue is done yall! Tell me what you think :)
> 
> Edited  
> Feel free to leave comments about my errors


End file.
